Deb Malewski
Contributing Writer
(Deb Malewski/FAN – James Brainerd, one of the three Brainerd sons that eft Eaton Rapids to fight in the Civil War. James did not return home, as he died from illness. The Eaton Rapids GAR post was named in his honor.)
In 2013, when Eaton Rapids Mayor Steve Platte announced the formation of a committee to establish a museum in Eaton Rapids, few could have imagined that the project would become a lasting tribute to the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) and its legacy in the community.
The GAR was a fraternal organization of honorably discharged Union Civil War veterans. Don Limpert, an avid collector of GAR and Civil War memorabilia, had a clear vision: to establish a GAR museum in the very building where local veterans had once gathered.
That building, James B. Brainerd Post No. 111 at 224 South Main St., became the home of the museum, which continues to preserve and share the GAR’s history 13 years later.
Built in 1886, the two-story building served as the post’s meeting hall upstairs, while the ground floor was rented to local businesses, including a bowling alley and grocery store. The post remained active until 1929, when its last veteran, John Henderson, passed away.
Limpert, of Manchester, Michigan, spent years assembling his collection and wanted to find a place where it could be preserved and appreciated. He purchased the former GAR building in Eaton Rapids but needed assurance that the community would support his vision.
Don Wyckoff, then executive director of the Eaton Rapids Chamber of Commerce, took on that task. Along with Gary Wickman, Wyckoff met with Limpert to discuss the possibilities. He also enlisted former Mayor James Davidson to accompany him to Limpert’s home in Manchester and help demonstrate the community’s commitment.
For several weeks, Wyckoff and Davidson made the trip to Manchester for Limpert’s informal “Happy Hours.” His home was a museum in itself, and at five o’clock each afternoon, friends gathered in his garage to discuss local happenings over a beer.
During these visits, Limpert shared his concerns about the future of the collection he had spent years assembling. He wanted it to go somewhere that would care for it. Wyckoff assured him that Eaton Rapids would support the project and help establish a museum. The city’s efforts to place its downtown on the National Register of Historic Places also made Eaton Rapids an appealing choice.
The plan offered a particularly fitting opportunity: Limpert’s collection could be housed in the very building where GAR veterans had met for decades.
Once the organization was established, Limpert donated additional pieces from his collection, and community members began contributing GAR-related artifacts of their own.
At the first organizational board meeting, a governing board was established. Keith Harrison, an avid Civil War historian and reenactor, was involved from almost the beginning and became a driving force behind the creation of the museum. Chris Allen, also a reenactor, later helped carry that vision forward, along with many others who contributed to its success.
“It was truly an honor to serve on the GAR Museum board for nine years,” Eaton Rapids Mayor Pam Colestock said. “I learned so much about the GAR, especially from Keith and Chris. Both are greatly missed, but their passion for the museum lives on.”
Thirteen years later, the museum continues to tell the story of the men who served in the GAR and the community that came together to preserve their legacy. While many people have contributed to its success, former Mayor Davidson gives Don Wyckoff much of the credit for bringing the GAR Museum to Eaton Rapids in the first place.
More information is on the museum’s Facebook page: GAR Brainerd Post 111 Memorial Hall and Museum.
